Hand held Monocular X Power

New member

What is considered the best mag for a hand held monocular. Alternative list 2 attractive monoculars.Archery Shop & Archery Products from Alternative Sporting Services
Are 15 and 20 X magnification too much to be held in one hand?
Anyone any experience with this brand?
I use a pair of 12 x 50 bins indoors, but find them bulky. I use a 20-60 x 60 tripod mounted scope outdoors, but would be tempted to use a monocular at short distances.

Well-known member

IMO light gathering and brightness are more important than a higher magnification.
Most monoculras have a small diameter lens and I find the image quite dark.
Anything over x10 poss x 12 for me is too difficult to keep still unless I rest them on the tip of the top limb.
I have a pair of cheap 10x50 Bins (made in Germany (Bresser) ?9.99 from lidl) which somehow do what they say on the box and let a lot of light in and I can see my arrows and fletching/nock colours at 100 yards, with my scope and a higher magnification the image is darker and harder to see. I now take these on the line as they are much easier than my scope.

The American

it actually has a screw insert to be put on a tripod. i ordered on thinking it was a true monocular. it's not. it's a small scope and needs a tripod. i sent it back. it's bigger than you think it will be.

New member

Yes, got one, but not enough mag for me, and a bit dark inside. There has to be a compromise with these things. A big bit of glass for brightness equates to a heavy object in the hand. I will stick with the bins and the scope....for now. Thanks.

New member

Went to Stockport on saturday to the Telescope centre and tried out a range of monocs. Decided on a waterproof Visionary 15 x 50, nice and bright, a small handful, 20 x mag did not give such a stable hand held image, the 15 x was fine. Cost ?60. So bought it on ebay for ?40. Will have to make a 1/4" Whitworth lanyard to hang from quiver, there is a tripod mount. I would have bought it in the shop had I not seen one on ebay. It was an introductory offer.